Validation Events: The Unsung Hero of Sales Process Discipline

Validation Events: The Unsung Hero of Sales Process Discipline

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

In the complex world of B2B selling, trust is built in stages. The challenge in all sales campaigns is ensuring the prospect trusts they are making the best decision for their business.

  1. Do they trust that the salesperson is giving them all of the information?
  2. Do they trust that the company will support them after the sale?
  3. Do they trust that the product will perform as they expect it to perform?

As I have explained in my book, Eliminate Your Competition, as well as the blog for that book and in this blog, the prospect needs to trust all three elements the salesperson is selling:

  1. They need to trust the product.
  2. They need to trust the company behind the product.
  3. They need to trust the salesperson.

Prospects listen to your sales message, review your materials, and hear your claims, but none of that guarantees belief or trust. Trust is validated when your claims are validated. That’s why validation events are crucial to any rigorous sales process.

In The Qualified Sales Leader, John McMahon stresses the importance of customer-driven validation. He cautions sales leaders against relying on internal optimism or anecdotal “good signals” from prospects. Instead, McMahon emphasizes observable proof—real buyer behavior that confirms alignment, commitment, and value. Validation events are when the customer takes action to validate that what you’ve promised is accurate and valuable.

An excellent sample sale process flow looks like this:

  1. Discover
  2. Scoping
  3. Economic Buyer Meeting
  4. Validation Event
  5. Business Case and Final Proposal
  6. Negotiate and Close

As you can see, the Validation Event is the last step before creating the final business case, which will be bundled with your final proposal.

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The Three Pillars of Sales Success: Ideal Client Profiles, Effective Messaging, and Aspirational Offers

The Three Pillars of Sales Success: Ideal Client Profiles, Effective Messaging, and Aspirational Offers

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

Let’s start this article with a rhetorical question to the sales professionals, sales managers, or CEOs: Have you ever found yourself guilty of sending messages to prospects without fully considering their specific needs or how your offer aligns with them?

If so, you’re not alone—this is a common pitfall in sales. The good news is, it’s entirely fixable by developing a straightforward, strategic approach.

An effective sales strategy hinges on three core components: defining your ideal client profile (ICP), crafting a resonant message, and presenting a compelling offer. These elements are interconnected. Mastering their alignment will significantly enhance your sales effectiveness.

Ideal Client Profile

Let’s start with the ideal client profile. How well do you know the companies you’re targeting? Identifying your ideal customer is foundational to your entire sales approach. It’s not enough to say that your market is “small businesses” or “tech companies.” Instead, think about your best clients—the ones you genuinely enjoy working with, who value your product, and who generate profitable, sustainable business. Think about companies that rarely devalue your product or service by asking for a discount. What do these clients have in common?

Now that you have your favorite customers from above, reflect on your top five or ten accounts. Are they in the same industry? Do they share similar challenges or company structures? Perhaps they all have common goals that your product consistently solves. Pinpoint these commonalities. This process will help you create a precise and actionable ideal client profile.

But don’t stop at company-level characteristics. Remember, even in B2B sales, you’re ultimately selling to individuals. Identify the specific roles or buyers within these organizations that are responsible for making buying decisions. Who are these decision-makers? What motivates them personally and professionally? Do they all have the same kind of college education? Do they all have similar career paths? Understanding the people behind the logo makes your outreach more personal, targeted, and effective.

What is your message?

Once you’ve developed a clear picture of your ideal client and the people within those companies, the next step is crafting a message that reflects your value-selling message. This message is how you communicate your value proposition—it’s the bridge between your product and your prospect’s needs. Too often, sales messaging falls flat because it focuses heavily on the seller rather than the buyer. Statements that emphasize “we,” “I,” or “our product” rarely resonate deeply. Instead, effective messaging highlights the customer’s perspective, clearly communicating the benefits they will experience.

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Stop Guessing. Start Assessing: The First Step Toward Sales Growth

Stop Guessing. Start Assessing: The First Step Toward Sales Growth

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

Are you feeling stuck in your sales organization? You’re not alone. Many founders, CEOs, and sales leaders eventually hit an invisible wall—a growth plateau. Key deals slip away. Your top salesperson, who carries far too much weight, starts to burn out.

In these moments, the instinct is often to push harder. But what’s needed isn’t more hustle. It’s clarity. And clarity starts with a strategic sales assessment.

What a Sales Assessment Means

Too often, leaders see assessments as formalities—checklists that confirm what they already believe. That’s a mistake. An accurate sales assessment is diagnostic. It reveals what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s missing.

Revenue growth doesn’t always mean you’re on the right path. Many companies are growing despite misalignment, not because of strategic execution. Are your sales activities aligned with your market opportunity? Are you pursuing the right prospects with the right message? Or are you just getting lucky?

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Stop Guessing, Start Growing: How Strategic Sales Assessments Drive Real Revenue

Stop Guessing, Start Growing: How Strategic Sales Assessments Drive Real Revenue

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

You’ll eventually hit a wall if you’re running a sales organization—or wearing multiple hats as founder, CEO, and sales manager. That wall is often invisible until growth stalls, key deals slip through the cracks, or your top salesperson burns out. So, what’s the next move? It’s not more hustle. It’s assessment.

A sales assessment isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about understanding where you are, how you operate, and what’s holding you back. Too many small business leaders assume they’re doing fine because revenue is growing or the team is hitting their quotas. But are you growing at the rate your market allows? Are your sales activities aligned with your long-term goals? Are you building a repeatable system, or are you just getting lucky?

Let’s get tactical. A sales plan isn’t just a revenue target. It’s your go-to-market strategy. It defines your audience, your message, and your motion. It answers why you’re talking to those prospects and what value you’re bringing to them. Without a plan, you’re reacting instead of executing. You’re chasing leads instead of building a pipeline.

If you’re a small company—perhaps under $30 million in revenue—and selling into a national market, chances are your market potential is hundreds of millions, maybe billions. That means your market share is a rounding error, which means there’s room to grow. The question is: Are you operating in a way that allows you to capture that growth?

Even if you’re running lean, you should benchmark your performance against top-tier organizations. Not because you’re competing with them directly, but because they set the standard. What are they doing that you’re not? Where are they more efficient? How do they structure their teams? You’re leaving money on the table if you’re not asking those questions.

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Why Cold Calling is Dead: The Shift to Relationship-Based Selling

Why Cold Calling is Dead: The Shift to Relationship-Based Selling

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

Building an effective sales pipeline requires a shift in strategy. Traditional cold calling has become increasingly ineffective, with decision-makers ignoring unsolicited calls and emails.

In the spring of 2021, Bank of America Corp.’s Merrill Lynch Wealth Management unit banned trainee brokers from making cold calls. According to the Wall Street Journal, it is hard to succeed with cold phone calls in an era when no one picks up. Merrill executives said personal referrals lead to a response around 40% of the time, but less than 2% of people who are cold-called even answer the phone.

Sales teams must adopt a more strategic approach, focusing on relationships rather than volume-based outreach. The key is leveraging existing networks to create warm introductions, significantly improving engagement rates and overall success.

Cold outreach has become expensive and inefficient, and the time spent dialing numbers, leaving voicemails, and sending emails that never get opened results in diminishing returns. Many executives no longer answer unknown calls, and email filters automatically sort cold outreach into spam. Even when messages get through, recipients are skeptical, assuming they are generated by automation rather than a genuine human connection. In reality, sales professionals must find a better way to reach their target audience.

Relationship-based selling offers a more effective alternative. Salespeople should focus on leveraging their connections instead of reaching out to strangers. This approach involves identifying key contacts who can provide warm introductions to potential prospects. These “super connectors” are individuals with strong networks and the ability to facilitate meaningful introductions. By tapping into these relationships, sales teams can bypass the skepticism associated with cold outreach and start conversations with credibility.

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Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Fixing the Funnel – Building a Sales Pipeline That Actually Works – E130

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Fixing the Funnel – Building a Sales Pipeline That Actually Works – E130

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

Welcome back to Two Tall Guys Talking Sales with hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey. In this episode, the tall guys dive deep into one of the most critical yet commonly broken elements in any sales organization: the sales funnel. Whether you’re stuck with a clunky three-stage process that tells you nothing or overwhelmed with 35 micro-stages that only confuse your reps, Sean and Kevin offer a practical guide to rethinking and rebuilding your pipeline strategy. Packed with metaphors (yes, even superhero ones) and sharp analysis, this episode will leave you inspired to take a hard look at your funnel—and finally fix it.


Key Topics Discussed

  • Why Most Sales Funnels Are Broken (00:00:45)
    Sean unpacks the common pitfalls in how companies define and manage their sales stages, including oversimplified or overly complex CRM setups.
  • Defining Sales Stages Based on the Buyer Journey (00:04:30)
    Kevin emphasizes the need to align your sales stages with how buyers actually buy—not how your company wants to sell.
  • How Many Sales Stages Are Too Many? (00:05:00)
    The guys explore the delicate balance between not enough insight and too much complexity in stage design.
  • The Case for Multiple Pipelines (00:08:00)
    When does it make sense to separate budgetary planning pipelines from active sales discussions? Kevin and Sean explain.
  • What a Healthy Funnel Actually Looks Like (00:10:45)
    Sean introduces a visual and mathematical approach to evaluating whether your funnel is properly shaped—and what to do if it’s not.


Key Quotes

“The Avengers became a team, not just Iron Man. You need to have a team. Even superhero salespeople like to have support.”
— Sean O’Shaughnessey (00:02:50)

“Fixing the funnel starts visually. Does it fit well on one sheet of paper? If not, you’ve already lost the battle for clarity.”
— Kevin Lawson (00:04:45)

“Stages should be built to qualify someone into the next step—not just to log an activity. Every transition should represent progress, not busyness.”
— Kevin Lawson (00:06:15)

“If your pipeline doesn’t look like a funnel, then you’re either wasting time or losing deals. Probably both.”
— Sean O’Shaughnessey (00:12:20)

Additional Resources Referenced

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Audit Your Sales Funnel for Shape and Stage Effectiveness
Pull a report from your CRM and visualize your current pipeline by number of deals and total revenue per stage. Does it actually look like a funnel? If it doesn’t, dig deeper. Are your stages aligned with your buyer’s journey? Are reps stuck in certain stages too long? This snapshot identifies gaps and opportunities for stage redefinition or activity refinement.

Summary

Whether managing a sales team or closing deals yourself, this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales gives you the blueprint to diagnose and repair a misaligned funnel. Sean and Kevin combine humor, hard truths, and highly actionable insights to help you bring structure and sanity back to your sales process. If you’re ready to create a pipeline that reflects how buyers buy—and helps your team win more deals—this episode is a must-listen.

🎧 Listen now and take the first step in fixing your funnel for good.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – From Regular Season to Postseason: Coaching Your Sales Team to Win – E128

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – From Regular Season to Postseason: Coaching Your Sales Team to Win – E128

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

As a sales leader, are you coaching your team for the long haul, or are you scrambling in the final weeks of the quarter? In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey break down the difference between regular season and postseason play—whether in sports or sales. They explore why last-minute Hail Mary strategies can be damaging, how to manage time, and the importance of effective and consistent coaching. With March Madness and The Masters as the backdrop, this conversation is packed with insights to help you refine your sales approach and ensure your team is always in winning form.

Key Topics Discussed

  • The Sales Tournament Mentality (00:02:00) – What sales teams can learn from March Madness and The Masters, and why only one team wins while the rest lose.
  • Building a Winning Sales Team (00:03:30) – How business owners can prepare their sales teams to perform under pressure by ensuring the right people are in the right seats.
  • The Role of Sales Coaching (00:05:00) – Why sales leaders must incorporate skills development into every sales meeting instead of just reviewing the pipeline.
  • The Pitfalls of End-of-Quarter Desperation (00:07:50) – How last-minute discounting and rushed deals create long-term problems and train customers to buy at a discount.
  • Mastering Time Management in Sales (00:10:00) – How prioritization and disciplined execution throughout the quarter prevent last-minute chaos and boost consistent performance.

Key Quotes

  • Kevin Lawson (00:07:53): “If you’re behind in sales right now, don’t throw Hail Marys. Don’t discount. You’re teaching your prospects to wait until the end of the quarter for a better deal—and that’s a losing game.”
  • Sean O’Shaughnessey (00:13:00): “You have one thing in sales you can never get back: time. If you wasted today, it’s gone forever. You can’t go back and fix it.”
  • Kevin Lawson (00:09:00): “Salespeople with commission breath stink. If your only focus is closing the deal before Friday, your prospects will smell it a mile away—and that’s not how you build relationships.”

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Develop a Five-Week Sales Training Plan – Sales leaders should map out the next five sales meetings, dedicating at least five minutes to skills development in each session. Focus on topics such as pipeline progression, prospect qualification, and closing techniques. Training should not be an afterthought—it should be a fundamental part of your sales strategy.

Why You Should Listen to This Episode

Whether you’re a sales leader or a frontline salesperson, this episode is your playbook for maintaining momentum all year long. Avoid the common traps of end-of-quarter desperation, build a disciplined approach to sales training, and master the art of time management. Just like in sports, sales success isn’t about last-minute heroics—it’s about consistent execution.

Tune in now and take your sales game to the next level!

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Sales Slumps & Hot Streaks: How to Build a Predictable Pipeline – E122

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Sales Slumps & Hot Streaks: How to Build a Predictable Pipeline – E122

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

Sales is a game of ups and downs, but what separates top performers from the rest is their ability to keep the funnel full—even when they’re closing deals. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive into the art and science of building a consistent pipeline. They discuss strategic approaches to prospecting, leveraging data tools, and the importance of curiosity in sales conversations. Whether you’re starting fresh in Q1 or looking to level up your approach, this episode is packed with actionable insights to keep your sales engine running smoothly.

Key Topics Discussed

🔹 The Sales Roller Coaster – Why salespeople experience cycles of high revenue followed by dry spells and how to smooth out the dips. (00:01:15)

🔹 The First Step: Re-engage Past Clients – Why checking in with existing customers is the easiest way to generate immediate opportunities. (00:02:23)

🔹 Using Free Data Resources to Prospect – How Data Axle and Apollo.io can help salespeople generate lists of high-potential prospects at no cost. (00:03:00)

🔹 Turning Leads Into Prospects – The difference between having a database of names and actually engaging with real sales opportunities. (00:05:31)

🔹 The Power of Networking and Curiosity – How to leverage your network to gain insights about a company before reaching out to decision-makers. (00:10:39)

🔹 Climbing the Ladder to the Decision-Maker – Why you shouldn’t start at the top and how building relationships within an organization can earn you a trusted introduction. (00:14:37)

Key Quotes

💬 Sean O’Shaughnessey on avoiding the sales roller coaster:
“If I go back to my drain-the-swamp analogy, you gotta put water back in the swamp, you gotta let it rain, gotta make it rain.” (00:02:02)

💬 Kevin Lawson on the importance of planning:
“Too often, salespeople stop after the second or third introduction. Timing is everything—keep going, keep networking, and keep qualifying your ideal client profile.” (00:12:39)

💬 Sean O’Shaughnessey on reaching executives:
“You cannot send an email to the CEO and expect it to be read. You are just a salesperson. If you want to sell to the top, you need a referral—and probably from someone lower in the organization.” (00:14:37)

Additional Resources

📌 Data Axle – A powerful business database often available through public libraries. Check with your local library for free access.

📌 Apollo.io – A free tool offering up to 10,000 business contacts per month to help with prospecting.

📌 Lighthouse Sales Advisors Coaching – Kevin Lawson offers 1:1 coaching to help sales professionals refine their strategies. Learn more here.

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Take 30 minutes this week to evaluate your sales pipeline using the “circle exercise.”

  1. Draw a circle and estimate what percentage of your revenue will come from existing clients vs. new clients.
  2. Identify how many new deals you need to hit your quota.
  3. Rank your existing leads based on fit and potential.
  4. Develop a networking plan to move from a name on a list to an engaged prospect.

Doing this exercise will give you clarity on where to focus your efforts and how to strategically fill your pipeline.

Why You Should Listen to This Episode

Struggling with an empty pipeline after closing strong last year? You’re not alone. In this fast-paced, insight-packed episode, Kevin and Sean break down the fundamental strategies that separate high-performing salespeople from those stuck on the revenue roller coaster. Whether you’re looking for free prospecting tools, better ways to approach networking, or a foolproof plan to keep your sales funnel full, this episode delivers practical tactics you can apply immediately.

🎧 Tune in now and take control of your sales pipeline!

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Engage, Listen, Succeed: Unlocking Client Conversations That Close Deals – E121

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Engage, Listen, Succeed: Unlocking Client Conversations That Close Deals – E121

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

In this insightful episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep into the art of active listening and its transformative potential in sales. Building on the discussion from last week’s episode about discovery questions, Kevin and Sean provide actionable strategies to improve your listening skills, enhance your client interactions, and ultimately close more deals. Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or new to the field, this episode is packed with valuable lessons you can apply immediately.

Key Topics Discussed

  1. The Role of Active Listening in Sales Success
    Kevin and Sean discuss how active listening differentiates successful salespeople from the rest and why it’s critical for uncovering client pain points.
  2. The Power of Note-Taking
    Kevin shares his transition from paper to digital note-taking and how capturing accurate information leads to better follow-ups and stronger client relationships.
  3. Body Language and Visual Cues in Client Meetings
    Sean emphasizes the importance of leaning forward, maintaining eye contact, and using other non-verbal cues to demonstrate engagement during conversations.
  4. Learning from Reporters: Listening Like a Pro
    Sean compares salespeople to seasoned reporters and outlines how active listening and asking thoughtful follow-up questions can set the stage for impactful discussions.
  5. Upskilling Through Active Listening
    Kevin highlights how organizations can improve their pipeline and closing rates by investing in training that focuses on active listening and effective questioning techniques.

Key Quotes

  • Sean O’Shaughnessey:
    “Don’t ever book a meeting without educating the client or making them a better business. That’s the only reason you’re allowed in their office.” (Approx. 8:00)
  • Kevin Lawson:
    “Active listening is your skeleton key to unlock doors that were previously closed. It’s the gateway to uncovering real pain points and creating meaningful solutions.” (Approx. 13:15)
  • Sean O’Shaughnessey:
    “Leaning forward in your chair isn’t just about posture; it’s a powerful signal to your client that you’re fully engaged and ready to understand their needs.” (Approx. 10:00)

Additional Resources

  • Sean and Kevin refer to the previous episode on discovery questions as a foundation for this discussion. If you haven’t listened to it, consider downloading it for additional context.

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Apply Active Listening in Your Next Sales Call
In your next client interaction, focus on active listening by using these three steps:

  1. Lean forward and maintain engaged body language.
  2. Paraphrase the client’s statements to ensure understanding.
  3. Take detailed notes and review them to tailor your follow-up responses.

These small adjustments can significantly affect the quality of your client conversations and help you close more deals.

Summary

Active listening isn’t just a soft skill; it’s a sales superpower. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin and Sean unravel the nuances of listening to clients, capturing their pain points, and building trust through meaningful interactions. With tips ranging from non-verbal cues to the tactical use of note-taking, this conversation equips you with tools to elevate your sales game. Whether you’re preparing for a discovery call, a QBR, or a cold call, this episode is a must-listen for actionable insights. Tune in and transform the way you engage with your clients.

Happy listening—and selling!

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – The Death of Cold Calling and the Rise of Relationship Selling – E119

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – The Death of Cold Calling and the Rise of Relationship Selling – E119

By Sean O'Shaughnessey

Cold calling is dead—or so claims our guest, Ben Victorica, in this thought-provoking Two Tall Guys Talking Sales episode. Hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep with Ben into the challenges of modern sales pipelines and explore why traditional outreach methods are no longer effective. Together, they uncover how relationship selling, fueled by emotional intelligence and strategic connections, is reshaping the future of sales. Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting out, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can’t afford to miss.

Key Topics Discussed

  • Why Cold Calling is Ineffective Today
    Ben discusses the inefficiency of cold outreach in the modern era, citing Bank of America’s 2021 decision to ban cold calling as a pivotal moment in sales strategy. (Approx. 00:01:00)
  • The Economics of Cold Outreach vs. Relationship Selling
    Sean explains the hidden costs of cold calling, emphasizing the expensive hourly rate of quota-bearing sales reps and its low ROI. (Approx. 00:02:20)
  • Leveraging LinkedIn for Strategic Connections
    Ben provides a practical, step-by-step guide to mining LinkedIn connections for warm referrals, using your network intelligently without costly tools. (Approx. 00:05:35)
  • The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Modern Sales
    Kevin and Ben discuss how sales professionals can use emotional intelligence and relationship intelligence tools to identify and nurture stronger business relationships. (Approx. 00:10:45)
  • Maximizing Relationship Capital with Technology
    Ben introduces KnowledgeNet, a tool that helps sales teams unlock and scale their relationship capital to drive business growth. (Approx. 00:12:00)

Key Quotes

  • Kevin Lawson:
    “Top of funnel cold outreach with no relationship is nearly impossible—it’s a cost line on any P&L.” (Approx. 00:04:48)
  • Sean O’Shaughnessey:
    “If you hand someone a list of 100 people you’d like an introduction to, you’ll get zero. But ask for five or ten, and you’ll get meaningful connections.” (Approx. 00:07:45)
  • Ben Victorica:
    “Cold calling is dead. Relationship selling instead.” (Approx. 00:01:49)

Additional Resources Mentioned

  • KnowledgeNet.ai: A powerful tool to uncover and leverage relationship capital within your organization. Visit KnowledgeNet
  • Wall Street Journal 2021 Article: Referenced by Ben regarding Bank of America’s decision to ban cold calling – https://www.wsj.com/articles/bank-of-americas-merrill-lynch-to-ban-trainee-brokers-from-making-cold-calls-11621850400.

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Use LinkedIn as a referral engine.
List key LinkedIn connections that align with your ideal customer profile. Then, approach your strongest network contacts—your “super connectors”—with a curated list of five to ten potential introductions. Respect their time and include a pre-written email template to make the referral process seamless.

Why You Should Listen to This Episode

The sales landscape has shifted, and the old playbook of cold calling no longer delivers results. This episode offers a fresh perspective on building pipelines using strategic relationships and modern tools like KnowledgeNet. Packed with real-world advice from Kevin, Sean, and Ben, this conversation will inspire you to rethink your sales approach. Ready to ditch outdated tactics and embrace the future of selling? Tune in now to gain the edge you need.